Off Topic

[MasterCylinder]

MOSCOW – Russia and China expressed serious concern Wednesday about tension on the Korean peninsula and, in the face of increasingly belligerent rhetoric, joined international pressure for North Korea to return to nuclear talks.

The U.S. vowed it would never accept North Korea as an atomic weapons state and, at a board meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna, urged the country to negotiate with the world's great powers instead of making threats.

Only hours earlier, North Korea warned the United States and its allies of a "thousand-fold" military retaliation if provoked.

Japanese and South Korean news reports said North Korea is preparing an additional site for test-firing a long-range missile that experts say could be capable of striking the United States. A Russian deputy defense minister said earlier that Russia would shoot down any North Korean missile headed its way but might not be able to detect missiles aimed in other directions.

Pyongyang, which is believed to have enough weaponized plutonium for at least half a dozen atomic bombs, claims they are a deterrence against the United States and accuses Washington of plotting with South Korea to topple its secretive regime.

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Kim Jong Il is a freaking nut.............everytime I see him he looks drunk.
I think the guy has a serious alcohol problem that feeds his insecurities.
The rest of his regime works to keep it quiet.............they constantly try to beat their chests and hold the other nations hostage for whatever.
Obama & Putin should use satellites to melt the next North Korean test-missle just before it is fired...............just to show NK some bit of reality.

[Hyfi]

MOSCOW – Russia and China expressed serious concern Wednesday about tension on the Korean peninsula and, in the face of increasingly belligerent rhetoric, joined international pressure for North Korea to return to nuclear talks.

The U.S. vowed it would never accept North Korea as an atomic weapons state and, at a board meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna, urged the country to negotiate with the world's great powers instead of making threats.

Only hours earlier, North Korea warned the United States and its allies of a "thousand-fold" military retaliation if provoked.

Japanese and South Korean news reports said North Korea is preparing an additional site for test-firing a long-range missile that experts say could be capable of striking the United States. A Russian deputy defense minister said earlier that Russia would shoot down any North Korean missile headed its way but might not be able to detect missiles aimed in other directions.

Pyongyang, which is believed to have enough weaponized plutonium for at least half a dozen atomic bombs, claims they are a deterrence against the United States and accuses Washington of plotting with South Korea to topple its secretive regime.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kim Jong Il is a freaking nut.............everytime I see him he looks drunk.
I think the guy has a serious alcohol problem that feeds his insecurities.
The rest of his regime works to keep it quiet.............they constantly try to beat their chests and hold the other nations hostage for whatever.
Obama & Putin should use satellites to melt the next North Korean test-missle just before it is fired...............just to show NK some bit of reality.

To keep this thread on topic.....it sounds like NK is due for some Sweet Chin Music!

But, why is it OK for the US to have any weapons it wants and at the same time we dictate to all other countries what they can and cannot do? No wonder the majority of the world hates the US!

[kexodusc]

This guy is a freaking nut. How does he think all this is going to end?

[MasterCylinder]

But, why is it OK for the US to have any weapons it wants and at the same time we dictate to all other countries what they can and cannot do?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Because we were the first to steal all the Nazi intelligence, put them in Los Alamos, and was the first to build it............the World at that time was a different place........America lived in a different context and a different role...............now, 60 years later, we all discover it is more than we bargained for............and if placed in the wrong hands...........well........you know.

[Auricauricle]

Thanks fer clearing that up, MC!

The NK's have long used the strategy of creating a crisis to get everybody on the baragaining table. The diversions save face for the NK's who don't want to be seen as hungry paupers begging for scraps and the Americans can puff themselves up for averting a distaster.

Now the rules are changing. America's economic disaster has undermined our formidiability. With the attention of its military focused principally in Iraq etc., the NK's can flex their pecs with little fear of retaliation. According the NYT, the Americans have flinched, stating that they will approach the ships of NK's navy but not board them. Showing our hand this way was not smart, and we are the paper tiger now.

I don't underestimate the NK's capacity to pick a fight or step up and destabilize the region. I am confident that the Japanese and Chinese are equally concerned and may use force if necessary to keep things in check. The problem is the NK premeire is a nut and seems to have little qualms about using his people as cannon fodder.

God help us all!

[Finch Platte]

This guy is a freaking nut. How does he think all this is going to end?

They'll launch a weapon, do 'minor' damage to someone, we'll bomb the sh!t outta them & send in troops, then we'll shovel $$ their way towards rebuilding the country (if someone hasn't taken advantage of our weakened state in the interim).

I dunno. Just a guess.

[Hyfi]

They'll launch a weapon, do 'minor' damage to someone, we'll bomb the sh!t outta them & send in troops, then we'll shovel $$ their way towards rebuilding the country (if someone hasn't taken advantage of our weakened state in the interim).

I dunno. Just a guess.

Oh how history just keeps repeating itself. If we use our Nukes, there won't be a need to rebuild.

[Auricauricle]

Rebuild? Not a chance. We're already soaked to the bone rebuilding Iraq etc. Not to mention here! Rebuild? Ach, you make me laugh! Bwahahahahaha....

[GMichael]

But, why is it OK for the US to have any weapons it wants and at the same time we dictate to all other countries what they can and cannot do? No wonder the majority of the world hates the US!

Because we were the first to steal all the Nazi intelligence, put them in Los Alamos, and was the first to build it............the World at that time was a different place........America lived in a different context and a different role...............now, 60 years later, we all discover it is more than we bargained for............and if placed in the wrong hands...........well........you know.

Both good points.
The more we try to stop them, the more they will want to use them on us when they are ready. And they will eventually be ready, no matter how much we puff out our chests and bark orders like we run the globe. Wouldn't it be better to teach them how to be responsible with this great big stick they are building? Maybe trade them tips for the promise of them learning how NOT to use them?
It sounds normal to me that any country that does not have nukes would want to join the party. But they need to be taught that having them and using them are two different things. The last thing we need to do it to piss them off so much that we become their testing grounds. Granted, they would end up worse than us, but we still wouldn't enjoy it.
These people are going to end up with nukes in their hands no matter what we say. Will we makes those hands the right ones, or the hateful wrong ones?

[ForeverAutumn]

Wouldn't it be better to teach them how to be responsible with this great big stick they are building?

If they wanted to be responsible, they wouldn't be playing with plutonium in the first place.

[GMichael]

If they wanted to be responsible, they wouldn't be building weapons like this in the first place.

I just don't see a way of stopping them. It's going to happen. Either behind closed doors or above board. I'd rather see the latter.

[Hyfi]

Both good points.
The more we try to stop them, the more they will want to use them on us when they are ready. And they will eventually be ready, no matter how much we puff out our chests and bark orders like we run the globe. Wouldn't it be better to teach them how to be responsible with this great big stick they are building? Maybe trade them tips for the promise of them learning how NOT to use them?
It sounds normal to me that any country that does not have nukes would want to join the party. But they need to be taught that having them and using them are two different things. The last thing we need to do it to piss them off so much that we become their testing grounds. Granted, they would end up worse than us, but we still wouldn't enjoy it.
These people are going to end up with nukes in their hands no matter what we say. Will we makes those hands the right ones, or the hateful wrong ones?

The only reason to have them, is to use them.

[MasterCylinder]

The only reason to have them, is to use them.

Sincerely,
Harry Truman

[GMichael]

The only reason to have them, is to use them.

I'm sure they feel the same about us having them.

Don't get me wrong. I'd rather not see anyone with nukes. (us included) I just don't see a way that will stop it from happening. The information is already out there for them to use. Supplies will always be available to anyone willing to pay enough. All we are doing is making enemies.
If we have a way of stopping them without starting WWIII then I'm all for it.

[kexodusc]

I care less about nations owning nukes than I do about rogue elements coming into possession of nuclear weapons. That's why I don't think other nations should have them.

The US, Russia, etc all have a pretty good track record of not letting nukes get into the wrong hands leading to detonation...maybe there's been some close calls, I dunno. Not many attacks though. I'm not sure I would feel as secure about some other countries having them.

[GMichael]

I care less about nations owning nukes than I do about rogue elements coming into possession of nuclear weapons. That's why I don't think other nations should have them.

The US, Russia, etc all have a pretty good track record of not letting nukes get into the wrong hands leading to detonation...maybe there's been some close calls, I dunno. Not many attacks though. I'm not sure I would feel as secure about some other countries having them.

I do agree with this. I just don't see safe way to stop them.

[ForeverAutumn]

The only way to get rid of these weapons is to have a worldwide truce that all leaders can and will agree to.

As long as one country has nuclear weapons, other countries are going to feel the need to protect themselves. Russia needed nukes because the US had them. The US needed nukes because Russia had them. NK needs them because the US and Russia have them. And on and on and on.

Why should NK stop developing weapons? Has the US stopped? Has China stopped? We can only hope that the leaders of these countries are responsible enough not to use them. After all, nuclear war is a no-win situation. I don't think that anyone wants to see it happen. But as long as you have a gun and I feel threatened by it, I'm going to need a gun too.

[Auricauricle]

"An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind."

Thank you, Mr. Gandhi.

[Mr MidFi]

There are no good answers when it comes to the North Korean dilemma.

Kim is a nut. There is no disputing this fact. But unfortunately, we've established a track record of calling every national leader that we don't like a nut-job, so now it doesn't mean much (despite the fact that it's true this time).

More to the point, we have established a record of rewarding the NK regime with a treasure trove of incentives every time he starts making the region nervous. Like we're appeasing a spoiled 3-year-old with candy treats just to forestall the next tantrum. And of course, behavior rewarded is behavior repeated.

But well beyond our policies toward NK, there is the long-term question of nuclear arms development. It's a 64-year-old technology, approximately the same as the jet engine. Can you imagine that as a bedrock foundation of our foreign policy... keeping jet engines out of the hands of every other nation on earth?

Playing perpetual whack-a-mole with nuclear wannabes, now and forever, until the end of time is not a long-term strategy. Not a good one anyway.

[Hyfi]

The only way to get rid of these weapons is to have a worldwide truce that all leaders can and will agree to.

Great idea but........

How do you know when a Politician is lying?


Their lips are moving.

I don't trust the US any more than I trust the rest of the world. I'm sure the warmongering Bush-Whacker would have loved to drop the big one after saying "Bring 'em on!"

Luckily somebody held his hand back.

[bobsticks]

But, why is it OK for the US to have any weapons it wants and at the same time we dictate to all other countries what they can and cannot do? No wonder the majority of the world hates the US!

...because our leaders, no matter how petulant and horrific, are never reminscent of a demented sock puppet...

[Auricauricle]

Take a child that has gotten everything he has asked for. He kicks and screams until his desires are met. It goes on....

Take a dog that has gotten everything it has asked for. He snarls and snaps until its desires are satisfied. It goes on....

Take a dictator.....

Who will tell him enough is enough?

This will probably need to be handled internally, yet the paranoia and fear are so entrenched, no one will dare.

Only time must take its course. Even tidal waves recede into the blue.

Until then, we play the cards as they are dealt...

[ForeverAutumn]

Take a dictator.....

Who will tell him enough is enough?

This will probably need to be handled internally, yet the paranoia and fear are so entrenched, no one will dare.

Internally? Not likely. Someone will have to deal with Kim the same way Hussien was dealt with.

[bobsticks]

I do believe Autumn's countryman, Rob Furlong, would be perfect for the job. Yup yup....

[nightflier]

Doesn't it seem like NK is playing the please-pay-attention-to-me-too game as the rest of the world was focusing on the economic downturn? Childish, perhaps, but as we now know from past experience, quite effective too.

Didn't NK threaten to nuke Hawaii or some such nonsense? I for one think the Chinese will whack that mole before we or our European friends will have to. After all, we're their #1 customer and a Nuke from over yonder hitting our shores is just going to look like a general "Asian" attack, which certainly doesn't help the Chinese.

Hmmmm... is California within NK's ICBM range?